


Transition to Death

by Linger1536



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ghosts, Resurrection Stone, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 01:21:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10776495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linger1536/pseuds/Linger1536
Summary: Lily nods, steeling herself as she turns her attention to the man on the floor who still holds her body in his arms. "I don't love you," she tells him even though she knows he can't hear her.Lily and James farewell to Harry. Includes Snape. Two-shot resurrection stone and Snape's death.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!
> 
> This follows the books so James and Lily as well as Severus are 21.
> 
> I wrote this years ago on ffnet but recently decided to rewrite it and post it on here.
> 
> WARNING: appearently I am "bashing" Severus in this, so to all you Severus lovers that cannot take me being realistic of what sort of character he is; do not read!  
> I honestly don't feel like I'm bashing him, I portray him the way I've always seen him and then I explain myself at the end of chapter 2. I've even said I think he's a good character but not a good person but appearently that is "yuck".

She stares down at the broken man who is sobbing his heart out as he clutches at the young woman's lifeless body; her body. A flash of pity washes over her as she watches him plead for her to wake up but it vanishes just as quickly when she hears a terrified cry from her left.

"Harry," the name leaves her lips in a whisper.

She want nothing more but to reach out and take the precious child in her arms but she cannot... Her hands floats through his body as if they are nothing but thin air. Her green eyes harden as they settle on the heartbroken man. He _should_ be comforting Harry, he should be taking him to safety, removing him from the sight of his mother's dead body.

"You never cared about the," she hisses angrily, "you didn't care if they died. All you cared about was me and all I will ever care about is them, not _you_ ," she spits at him.

She returns her attention to the terrified child. She feels such despair in knowing that she can do no more for him. A wretched sob tears from somewhere deep within her as she realises that she will not be able to hold him and comfort him ever again. It is not fair, he should not have to go through all this loss at such a tender age. She wants desperately to be alive but not for selfish reasons, no she would gladly die a thousand times for him but she does not want Harry to grow up without his parents.

"Why aren't you doing anything?!" She screams, whirling around to face the man when Harry's cries grows louder and stronger. "Can't you see he's hurting? Why won't you comfort him?" Please..." her voice cracks and she falls onto her knees, "please just get him out of here."

Where is James? Had he already crossed over? She cannot understand how he could do such a thing without saying goodbye to the son he loves so much.

"Why?" the man sobs. "Why did you have to take her? What did she ever do?!"

Her lip curls in disgust as she gets back onto her feet. " _I_ choose this. I would rather die for those I love than live a loveless and miserable life." Tears that are only real to her stream down her cheeks as moves closer to Harry. "Please just get him out of here," she begs but her plea falls on deaf ears.

" _Lily."_

She feels a light touch on her arm and allows her eyes to leave her son to stare into the face of her husband.

"James."

He gives her a small and sad smile before gathering her in his arms, allowing her to weep in the safety of his embrace. James keeps his eyes on his son as he cries for his parents

"Someone will be here to get him soon."

Lily blinks up at him, locking her green eyes with his hazel ones. "We have to leave soon don't we?"

He nods slowly. "Yes."

Both of their eyes focus on the lightening shaped scar on their child's forehead.

"That's where the curse his," Lily whispers.

James face contorted with pain. "I know... I saw it happen." He leans down and brushes his lips against her temple. "You were so brave." His lips moves against her skin as he whispers quietly, brokenly: "It's time to go now."

Lily nods, steeling herself as she turns her attention to the man on the floor who still holds her body in his arms. "I don't love you," she tells him even though she knows he can't hear her, "and I have not forgiven you... I don't think I will." Lily's gaze softens slightly despite herself as she looks down at her childhood friend. "It is time to let go, Sev."

She turns away from, walking over to James who is saying goodbye to their son.

"We love you Harry," she whispers softly," and we will always be with you honey."

With those words said James and Lily Potter left the world of the living.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! Some of the sentences in this that transpires during the resurrection stone scene are taken directly from The Deathly Hallows, I take no credit for them.

"Sev..."

The name echoes around him but he does not open his eyes. He recognises the voice, it had used his name. The name he only used in solitude, the name he drew strength from. There had been many nights when he would lie awake, whispering to himself: "Sev... Sev... Sev... _I am Sev_." It had given him comfort and it had reminded him of his reason to fight. He has not heard anyone utter his name for years except by himself, the last time he had been addressed by it had been by... _her_.

His lids slide open with ease and black meets green. Lily Potter is kneeling next to him, her green eyes sparkle with life that had not been there that dreadful day when had had found her in Godric's Hollow. Pure joy surge through him as he drinks in the sight of her. His eyes travels from her long auburn hair that falls over her shoulder to her youthful face until they finally settle on her mesmerising eyes that no man on earth would be able to forget. He has no words for her beauty. His rough hands grasp her face by their own accord and a sob escapes him when he feels the warmth in her soft cheeks.

"Lily..."

He does not notice her hesitation nor does he see the concern in her eyes, all he can think of is that she is there... there with him. He gently traces his fingers over her face, brushing them over her full lips, assuring himself that she is real. "Oh, Lily," he cries, pulling her into an embrace. Her fruity scent fills his senses as he buries his face in her soft hair.

"Thank you," he hears her say before pulling away.

"Lily," a second voice calls.

Severus glances around at his surroundings. He is still in the shack but Potter is gone and he can see no one except for Lily but he is certain that he heard someone speak.

"Lily," there is an urgency to the voice, "Lily, we have to go soon."

Severus scrambles onto his feet. "No!" he exclaims, grasping Lily's hands in his own. She cannot leave, not now, not after he has just gotten her back.

Lily's hair flies around her as she shakes her head at him, attempting to free her hands from his. "I wanted to thank you."

"You can't leave!" Severus cries desperately.

Lily's emerald eyes flash dangerously but Severus does not have enough sense to let her go. She has just managed to tear her hands away when an angry voice bellows his name.

"Snape!"

Severus grits his teeth as he comes face to face with James Potter. He turns his darkened eyes on Lily. "You brought _him_ here?"

Lily's temper flares at the betrayal that can be heard in her childhood friend's voice. "He _is_ my husband."

A muscles in Severus jaw works furiously as he clenches and unclenches his hands by his side. "I thought.." he begins but he trails off at her loud scoff.

"You thought what exactly?" she asks, glaring at him. "That all is well and you are forgiven? My son is walking to his death!"

Severus shakes his head, desperate for her to understand, surely if he explains she will. She will understand that he had done everything he possible could to make sure her boy would live.

"Lily, I tried... I tried my best to keep him alive."

Lily's eyes soften slightly at his words. "I know... and I'm grateful for that, we both are," she says, gesturing at James who comes to stand next to her, taking her hand in his. "But I can't forgive you." A part of her knows that she is being harsh but despite all of the years that have passed she can not move past his betrayal.

"Lily, everything I did was for you and you forgiveness!" Severus sobs.

Lily looks at him with something akin to pity and he hates it. "That's just it, Sev. It wall because of me, it wasn't for Harry which is why I can't forgive you."

Severus shakes his head, refusing to listen. He had kept her son alive, he had watched over him for her sake, and now she would not forgive him? Why was she torturing him?

"I don't understand..."

" _Don't,_ don't say you do not understand," Lily warns, "You know perfectly well what I mean. When you found out about Voldemort's plans to hunt us down, whose safety was it you were worried about?" Her lips curl in disgust. "It certainly wasn't James's," she says, taking a step closer to her husband, "or my sons'. I know what you said, Severus. I know you told Dumbledore to hide me but that they could die."

"Lily," James says soothingly. "I think he has heard enough."

James cannot help but to feel pity for the broken man in front of him. He knows what it feels like to be hated by the woman you love – which in both of their cases happened to be the feisty redhead beside him – although Lily had never truly hated James to the extent she hated Severus, truthfully she had never hated him. She had only had an immense dislike for him, but that had not mattered to James, the agony of her dislike had still felt like hatred.

"No," Lily insists, "he needs to hear this. You never cared about them, you didn't care if they died." Her eyes are cold as she stares down at Severus. "All you cared about was me and all I will ever care about is them, not _you_ ," she sneers at him, repeating the words she had said on the day of her death. "I can't... I won't forgive you."

James leans in closer and brushes his lips against her temple. "It's time to go."

Severus feels a pang of desperation clutch at his heart, she cannot leave him... not yet. "Where are you going?"

"To our son," they reply as one.

James hazel eyes are unreadable as he studies the heartbroken man in front of him. He gives Lily's hand a soft squeeze before letting go of her, stepping closer to the man he has loathed for so many years. Severus flinches away from him but James does not let himself be deterred as he leans down whispering:

"It will take time," he says glancing at Lily, "but you've got all the time in the world." With that said he return to his wife's side and together they go to their son.

* * *

Lily is in the forbidden forest with James, Sirius and Remus beside her. It takes awhile for her eyes to adjust to the darkness but when they do she sees him. He is standing with his eyes closed as he focuses on the Resurrection stone in his palm. He is beautiful even with the dirt and blood that clings to his thin frame, and she cannot help but to marvel at his striking resemblance to James, but then he opens his eyes and she finds herself looking into her own.

Lily's lips breaks out into a smile. "You have been so brave."

He does not speak as he stares at her, taking in her appearance with the same hungry gaze as her. She tries to memories his face, every small detail as she comes to the realisation that he is no longer a child but a man grown with experience far beyond his years.

"You are nearly there," James says in a voice thick with emotion. "Very close. We are so... proud of you."

James cannot find the words to describe how proud he is of the man standing in front of them – his son – and so he tries to show it with a reassuring smile.

"Does it hurt?"

The question stabs painfully at James's and Lily's hears, but before they have a chance to answer Sirius walks up to his godson.

"Dyin? Not at all," he promises. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over," says Remus.

"I didn't want you to die," Harry tells them. "Any of you. I'm sorry-"

Lily shakes her head at him, he has nothing to apologise for, nothing at all. They had chosen this. They chose to die for him, they always would but he continues on before she has a chance to hell him.

"- right after you had your son... Remus, I'm sorry-"

"I am sorry to," Remus admits and Lily's heart aches for the poor child, who has lost both of his parents that night but she takes comfort in knowing that they boy will have Harry and others who will love him unconditionally. "Sorry I will never know him," Remus continues, "but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."

A breeze riffles through the air around them and Lily sees as her son's eyes change, he had made his decision.

"You'll stay with me?"

"Until the very end," James promises.

"They won't be able to see you?"

Sirius shakes his head. "We are part of you. Invisible to anyone else."

There is a determination in Harry's eyes as he turns his head to look at her. "Stay close to me."

 _Always,_ she thinks but she does not say it aloud because he already knows.

They stay with him during the whole ordeal, never leaving his side. Both James and Lily whispers words encouragement and love to him as the Resurrection stone slips from his fingers, not knowing if he can hear them as they turn invisible to him.

Lily watches the death curse hit her son for the second time. She watches as he falls to the ground, sees him take one last breath before Death claims him.

"He will be fine," James whispers in her ear – hugging her to him – just as Harry draws a small breath.

They move to where he is lying, kneeling down beside him. She brushes her lips against his forehead while James strokes his hair and Sirius pats him on the back as Remus clasps his shoulder.

"We love you Harry," Lily whispers, "and we will always be with you." The sentence is as sincere as it had been that fateful day in Godric's Hollow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me explain the Lily/Snape issue. I do not think it is believable for Lily to forgive Snape the moment he enters the after life, it is just not something I think she would do. He is part of the reason her son lost his parents and even though he did help Harry it was more for her benefit that Harry's. Snape is not a good person and you cannot argue with that, he is a good character, but ever since his fifth year he has been a bad person and he was not very nice to Harry and many of his other students in fact he was a bully, and Lily would not forgive him for that. I am not saying that she will never forgive him, it's as James said they have all the time in the world, in fact I believe Harry would be the more forgiving one out of the two.
> 
> If you don't agree with me that's fine but this is my version of Lily. I find it really annoying when people excuse Snape's behaviour but then bash James, James was a bully that grew up and became a decent person. Snape on the other hand was a victim that became a bully but also someone that had no qualms about letting an innocent baby being killed.


End file.
